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How contagious will Austria's politics be in 2018?

The rise to power of Austriaâs far-right has raised a few eyebrows in the EU. And the new coalition â" made up of Chancellor Sebastian Kurzâs Peopleâs Party and the anti-immigration Freedom Party â" is set to challenge the blocâs migration policies.

Austria intends to crackdown on refugees, curbing their benefits. The question is: how contagious will their politics be?

âThereâs a tendency towards a relaxation of relations with these parties. So, little by little, we could see alliances created first at a national level. Then, really slowly, this could lead to alliances at supranational and European levels,â said Benjamin Biard, from the Catholic University of Louvain.

The EUâs migration policies have already hit the buffers with the four Visegrad nations: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. They all voted against quotas, brought in to help releas e the pressure in Italy and Greece.

And Vienna is ready to establish stronger ties with Visegrad countries. Heading into 2018, this could become a major problem for the EU â" as it sets its sights on new migration policies, while boosting solidarity with Southern European countries.